Lubricated gate valve



.March 39 i935 W. MCCAUSLAND Er AL. 2,032,882

LUBRICATED GATE VALVE Filed April 8, 1951 INVENTORS CVM/w J W STEP/ffm HND WALLACE /M {ausm/vp Patented Mar. 3, 1936 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUBRICATED GA-TE VALVE York Application April 8, 1931, Serial No. 528,567

The present invention relates to gate valves and has for an object to provide improved means for overcoming locking or binding of the gate in the seat so that the valve may be operated more easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a more effective seal between the gate and its sea Y Another object of the invention is to reduce wear on the bearing surfaces.

Another object is to inhibit corrosion of the' seating surfaces of the valve.

The invention is particularly useful vin wedge type valves of the larger sizes. In such valves the gate is usually forced to its closed position under heavy pressure and this sets up a `substantial dragging and-abrasive effect which locks or binds the wedge or gate in the valve seats. Such valves are frequently closed when hot and during cooling of the valves unequal vexpansions take place, sometimes increasing the binding eiect. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide means for applying a lubricant between the gate and its seat or seats and to exert pressure upon the lubricant to overcome the binding eiect.

A'further object of the present invention is toA provide a lubricant having corrosion inhibiting qualities and force such lubricant to the seating .surface of the valve, thereby not only sealing the joint between said surfaces but protecting said surfaces against corrosion;

In a Patent No. 2,006,715, dated July 2, 1935, is disclosed a valve provided with channeled seat rings and means for introducing lubricant under pressure through said channels between the gate and the seats so as to overcome the binding effect when the valve is being opened, and also to seal the joint between the gate and its seats when the valve is closed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a construction by which lubricant may be fed to the coactng surfaces of the valve through the gate rather than the seat rings.-

A more specific object-of the invention is to provide a gate valve of wedge type with a lubricating chamber in the wedge and ducts leading therefrom to the opposite operating surfaces of the wedge.

Another object is to provide a gate lvalve with a hollow valve stem through which lubricant may be fed to the chamber in the gate.

Still another object ofthe inventionlis to provide a structure of the type described above in which means are provided at the outer end of 11 claims. (o1. 251-61) the valve stem for exerting pressure on the lubricant therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of certain embodiments thereof and thereafter the nov- 5 elty and scope of the invention will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing;

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section through the improved lubricated gate valve, certain parts 10 being broken away to reveal interior details;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of gate with a portion of a valve stem connected thereto, the rod being broken away to illustrate details of construction; and 15 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in section showing another modification.

In Fig. 1 the casing of a gate valve is indicated by the reference numeral I0. The construction of this casing possesses no particular novelty.V It 2o comprises a central chamber I I and and a pair ofV main fluid passages I2 and I3 which open into the chamber. At the inner end of each passage there is a threaded annular recess Il in which a seat ring I5 is screwed. Lugs I1 on the rings facilitate 25 screwing them into the recesses. The rings are disposed at an acute angle one to the other to permit of introducing a wedge I6 therebetween to close the passages.

The wedge I6 is raised and lowered by means 30 of a hollow stem I8 which at its lower end is provided with a head I9 that enters a slot 20 formed in thetop of the wedge. A pair of cheek pieces 2| are fastened to the top of the wedge so as to overlap the head I8. The-,chamber Il is closed 35 at the top by means of the usual bonnet 23 tliroughwhich passes the stem I 8.,A The bonnet carries the usual stufling box 2l to prevent leakage of iiuid around the stem I8. Clamped... .to the bonnet is a bracket 25 which carries a nut 26 40 threaded upon the stem I8. This nut is'provided with a flange 21 which is engaged by a ange ring 28 clamped to the bracket 25. A hand wheel 29 is keyed to the nut 28 so lthat by turning this hand wheel the wedge may be raised or lowered 45 to open or close communication between passages I2 and Il.

Formed in the wedge I8 is a' chamber 30 adapted to serve as a reservoir for a lubricant. Ducts 3l lead from this chamberto a pair of annular 50 grooves 82 formed respectively in the opposite seating Vsurfaces ofthe gate. At the upper end oi' the gate there is a port 33 openinginto the chamber 80. In thisport a bushing I4 is tightly threaded. Brazed to this bushing is a flexible 55 tube 35 is a collar 36 which is flanged outwardly to bear against a suitable-seat formed in the bore of the stem I8. Above this seat the bore of the stem I8 is enlarged and is threaded to receive a nut` 31. 'I'he latter is screwed tightly down upon the flanged collar 36, serving to seal the joint between the collar and its seatin the stem I8. A check valve 38 is pressed by a spring 33 against an apertured collar 40 threaded into the stem I8 just above the collar 31. bore of the stem I8 constitutes a chamber 4I for lubricant, in which chamber is threaded a screw plug 42.

In operation, the chamber 30 is filled with lubricant through the outer end of the valve stem I8 and then the screw plug 42 is applied to exert pressure on the lubricant so as to force it through the ducts 3| into the annular groove 32. The

lubricant will then find its way between the contacting surfaces of the gate and the seat rings I5. Whenever it is desired to open the valve, if the valve oers material resistance, the screw `plug 42 is turned to force the lubricantbetween the contacting surfaces. 'Ihe valve stemA I 8 may have a certain play with respect to the gate I6 without disturbing the connection between the chambers 30 and 4I owing to the flexibility of the tube 35. When forcing the gate valve to its seat a perfect seal of the joint between the gate and the seat rings may be insured by exertingpressure on the lubricant with a turn or two of the screw plug 42.

The construction shown in Fig. 2 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except that the flexible shaft 35 is dispensed with, and instead of leading the lubricant -directly lthrough the lower end of the stem I8 into the gate it is tapped oif laterally-and conducted through a flexible lead to the gate. In this figureparts-which are substantially like those in Fig. 1 are indicated by the same reference numerals bearing the suiiix a. Thus the gate Ilia is provided with a central chamber 30a from which ducts 3Ia lead to annular grooves 32a formed respectively in opposite seating yfaces of the gate.

because it is coiled it will flex readily to allow for the play of the head I l9a between the cheekpieces 2Ia and the bottom of the slot 20a. As shown in the drawing, each annular groove'32a is preferably struck on a center that is slightly below f the center of the seating surface ofthe valve;

The advantage of this is that the lubricant grooves will wipe over a larger area of the seat rings when the valve is raised and lowered. Owing to the inclination of the opposite faces of the gate and the cooperating faces of the seat rings, the pressure exerted by the lubricant on the contacting seating surfaces -will produce a lifting effect, tending to raise the gate and thereby facilitatingA openand the stem by the numeral -I 8b.' lThe construir- Above the collar 40 the Thechamber 38a, however, is providedat one side of its central axis with a port 43.

tion 'of the gate I6b is exactly like that of gate I8 except for the means of attachment to the stem.- I

'I'hus the gate IIb is formed with a sleeve extension 45. The stem I8b which is hollow is screwed into said extension anda set screw 46 locks the parts together. Owing to the iixed connection between the stem I 8b and gate I6b the flexible tube 35 may be dispensed with and lubricant may be pumped throughthe stem I8b directly into the l 1. A gate for a gate valve, said gate being g forme'd with an annular seating surface, and with an annular groove in the seating surface but eccentric thereto, the gate being hollow to form `a reservoir for lubricant and having ducts leading from the reservoir to said groove.

' 2. In a'gate valve having a valve seat, a gate` having a seating surface to engage the valve s'eat and being slidable substantially without rotation toand from said seat,a substantially nonrotary tubularstem, means providing'a loose operative connection between the stem and the gate, the gate being hollow to form a. chamber for lubricant and having ducts leading from said chamber to the seating surface of the gate, and a flexible tube fixed at one end to the gate and "at the other end to the stem and providing communication between the bore ofthe stem and the chamber.

3. In a. gate valve having a valve-seat, a gate having a seating surface to engage the valve seat and beingslidable substantially without rotation to and from said'seat, a substantially non-rotary tubular stem, means providing a loose operative connection between the stem and the gate,/the gate being hollow to form a chamber for lubricant and having ducts leading from said chamber to the seatingsurface of the gate, a flexible tube fixed at one end to the gate and at the other end to the stem and providing communication between the bore of the stem and the chamber, and means in the stem for exerting pressure on the lubricant in the chamber. l

4. In a gate valve having a valve seat, a gate having a seating surface to engage the valve seat and being slidable substantially without rotation.v to and from said seat, a substantially non-rotary tubular stem, means providing a loose operative connection between the stem and the gate, the

ygate being hollow to form a, chamber for lubri cant and having ducts leadinglfrom said chamber to the seating surface of the gate, a flexible tube fixed at one end to the gate and at the other end to the stem and providing communication between the bore of the'stem and the chamber, and a'plunger threaded into the outer kend of .the stem and operable to exert pressure on the lubricant in the stem and the chamber.

5. In -a` gate valve having a valve seat, a gate having.y a seating surface to engage the valve seat and being slidable substantially without rotation to and from said seat', a substantially nonrotary tubular stem, means providing a loose operative connection between the stemand the gate,

the gate being hollow to form a chamber for lubricant and having ducts leading from said chamber to the seating surface of the gate, a ilexible tube xed at one end to the gate and at the other. end to the stem and providing communicaaosaeea tion between the bore of the stem and the chamber, a plunger threaded into the outer end of the stern and operable to exert pressure on the lubricant in the stem and the chamber, and a check valve in the stem below the plungerand opening ytoward the chamber.

6. In a gate valve, a gate, a tubular stem closed at its inner end, means providing a loose operative connection between the inner end of the stem and the gate, the gate being lhollow,to form a chamber for lubricant and having ducts leading from said chamber to a seating surface of the gate, a resilient coil of tubing connected at one end to the stem and at the other to the gate and providing communication between the bore of the stem and the chamber, and a plunger in the outer end of the stem operable to exert pressure on the lubricant in the st'emand the chamber.

7. In a gate valve having a valve seat, a gate having a seating surface to engage the valve seat and being slidable substantially without rotation to and from said'seat, a substantially non-rotary tubular stem, means providing a loose operative connection between the stem and the gate, the gate being hollow to forma chamber for lubricant and having ducts leading from said'chamber to the seating surface of the gate, a flexible tube in the stem providing communication between the bore of the stem and the chamber, one end A oi the tube being secured to the gate and the other to the stem, and a plunger operable in the outer end of the stem-to exert pressure on the lubricant.

8. In a gate valve having a valve seat. a gate having a seating surface to engage the valve seat and .being slidable substantially without rotation i .to and from said seat, a substantially non-rotary tubular stem, means providing a loose operative connection between the stem and the gate, the' gate being hollow to form a chamber for.'lubrl cant and having ducts leading from said chamber to the seating vsurface of the gate, a flexible tube in the stem providing communication between the bore of the stem and the chamber, one end ofthe tube being secured to the gate and the other to the stem, a plunger operable in the outer with an axial bore, and means providing a fluid tight connection between the bore and the chamber for feeding lubricant through the stem into the chamber.

l0. In a gate valvehaving a valve seat, a gate having a seating surface to engage the valve seat and being slidable substantially without rotation to and from said seat, a substantially non-rotary tubular stem therefor, the gate being hollow 'to provide a chamber for a sealing fluid and having ducts leading from said chamber to a seating surface of thel gate, the uid tight connection between the stem and gate providing communication between the bore of the stem andv said chamber, said connection also permitting limited relative movement of the gate and stem, and means Y in the stem for exerting pressure on the-fluid in the chamber to force such fluid through the ducts 'to said seating surface of the "gate 1l. In a' gate valve, a gate, a stem therefor, connecting means between the stem and gate constructed .and arranged to provide for limited lateral shifting as well Aas limited angular movement of the gate with respect to the stem, the gate being hollow to provide a chamber for lubricant and having ducts leading from the chamber to a seating surface -of the gate,`thestem being formed with an Iaxial bore," and means providing a'fluid-tight connectionbetween'the bore and the chamber for feeding'lubricant through the stem into the chamber.

, WALLACE McCAUSLAND.

` CHARLES 

